Omar Vizquel Hints At Retirement

Infielder Omar Vizquelopenly wondered why more older players don't sign minor league contracts and try to win jobs back in Spring Training, though it appears as though he won't do that himself next year. Vizquel told Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports that this season is likely to be his last as a player.

“I think this is going to be it for me,” he said. “This is going to be my last year.”

Vizquel, 45, did qualify the statement by saying he's only "51% sure" he will call it a career after 2012. He has one single and one walk in a dozen plate appearances for the Blue Jays this year, who signed him to a minor league deal back in January. This is Vizquel's 24th season in the big leagues and the Jays are his sixth team. He has indicated a desire to coach once he hands up the spikes.

Omar said on Twitter after the game that he was the one yelling from the bench and said something `x-rated`…i assume he meant `r-rated`…but he did confirm it was him…just getting ready for that manager`s seat one day

Omar is what all baseball players young and old should strive to be. A real class act and one the best short-stops to ever play this kids game that so many grown men have tried to destroy. If they were all more like Omar then baseball might still be Americas favorite sport. When he gets to the Hall of fame he will certainly make it a better place. Omar is the ultimate throw back player.

What exactly is the difference in behavior that has caused baseball to fall behind any other American sport? The last work stoppage due to a labor dispute happened in 1994 (compared to this year for the NFL and NBA, and definitely within the last 5 years or so for the NHL). I also can’t imagine that it has anything to do with the fact that MLB players have to honor the contracts that they sign, whereas players in the NFL and NBA can refuse to show up, and will hold out for more money when they think they deserve more than what they agreed to sign for. So what exactly is it that other ball players are doing to ruin the game?

He would make a good teacher of middle infielders when he finally does hang up the bat and glove. He was an everyday player as late as his age 40 season. I still remember him very well when he became the standard of fielding at short after Ozzie Smith retired.

An autobiograpy after his career is over wouldv’e been deserving. He jumped the gun on that. Dont forget being an all star is nothing more than a popularity contest. Any pitcher in the majors wouldv’e loved to have omar behind him.

so in order to get in to the hall of fame you have to be better than the best player ever at your position? Solid reasoning. If you honestly think it would be a disgrace if he got in to the hall of fame, I kind of feel sorry for you .

He’s not a lock by any stretch, but it wouldn’t be a disgrace by any means.

While I think it would be a travesty for Vizquel to go into the Hall of Fame before Alan Trammell and that there are other players that are about as good as him who are not in (Fergosi, Wills, Conception) I don’t think that it would be a disgrace if he were selected either.